CBI is seeking applications from Bengal to form a panel of 12 deputy superintendents of police, eight inspectors, 20 sub-inspectors and 40 constables.

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the Narada and chit fund investigations that the CBI is conducting is the outcome of ‘politics of vendetta’ by BJP.(HT Photo)

The West Bengal government has told police officers and constables not to apply for deputation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that is looking for personnel to work on cases such as the Narada investigation and the chit funds including Saradha and Rose Valley. Incidentally, a number of ruling Trinamool Congress leaders are allegedly involved in these high-profile investigations that chief minister Mamata Banerjee has described as politics of vendetta by the Narendra Modi government.

There has not been a single application from West Bengal and Kolkata Police responding to CBI’s notice for inducting these personnel.

The CBI investigation into the Narada sting operation has rejuvenated the opposition in Bengal like the Left parties.
(HT Photo)

Sources from the West Bengal personnel & administrative reforms department said that clear instructions have come from the state police directorate and police associations that no policemen (constables to deputy superintendents of police) should make any written application for deputation to CBI.

The decision of the government not to send anyone on deputation to CBI will not only put the agency into trouble and slow down investigation in these high-profile cases, but also deprive the policemen who could have been selected of monetary benefits. While they serve the CBI, even a constable would have got a deputation allowance that would be a minimum of Rs 8,000-10,000. The amount would go up as one went up the scale and rank.

“On one hand, the Union government will use CBI to unnecessarily implicate our leaders, MPs, MLAs and even ministers in false cases. At the same time, the agency expects these will be investigated by cops from our state. These two things cannot happen at the same time. We have made this clear to our cops that their career will begin in this state and end here only,” a member of the state cabinet said.

CBI is the only central investigative agency that inducts non-IPS cops from different police forces to carry on investigations. considering its acute manpower shortage against the backdrop of large number of cases that the agency handles.

The central investigative agency regularly faces shortage of manpower in the ranks between constables and deputy superintendents.

Trinamool Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, who was arrested in early January by CBI for his involvement in the Rs 17,000-crore Rose Valley scam, was granted bail by Odisha high court after four and a half months.
(HT Photo)

“Not a single application has been made from any of these ranks (DSP, inspector, sub-inspector, constable) and, therefore, the state government is not in a position to forward any panel to CBI,” a senior state government official said.

The decision of not allowing non-IPS cops from the state to go on deputation to CBI has been taken by chief minister Mamata Banerjee herself.